Another Church Holiday

 Another long weekend. Monday 13th is, in the Orthodox church, the commemoration of the Holy Spirit or in Greek, Agio Pnevmatos . Also known as Pentecost Monday.

The island is full of Greek visitors once again. The big hotels are full.  Heavy black SUVs fill up the narrow streets and block the roads where they spill out into the traffic trying to park . 

It's a reminder that for the next three months we will be in high tourist season. Most exams end, and schools close, this Wednesday, on the 15th and it's 'lets get out of the city' time. 

It's a church holiday but except for those in the extended family with an abiding faith it's hardly noticeable. Government  services, banks and local offices are closed but the supermarket is doing a roaring trade. Yachties seem to be stocking up en masse with bottles of water, beer, gin and chips 

In Piraeus (port of Athens) there's an important service at one of the big churches, with military band

And Navy escort for the parade of the icon

We were up early for some business downtown before the crowds, moderate Poros size crowds, came out to annoy us.  We couldn't avoid them entirely.  One car parked at an alarming angle, right across the street, held up traffic while the driver jumped out to get a bottle of water at the kiosk. He got the Greek finger and a few swear words and not only from the hubby.  Further down a young girl held up the cars so a bunch of quad bikes could turn into the main road.  Quad bikes have no right of way.  I know.  I have one.  We are on the lowest end of the traffic scale, just before bicycles and pedestrians. Beware of taxis, trucks and city-slickers. 

We managed a coffee with family, right across the street from our 'big' supermarket where the yachties were stocking up on essentials

We fed sesame roll to the chirpy little sparrows till the big guns flew in

And then sped off to our home harbour